This grainy image of flames appearing to burst from a pavement was captured when an electrical fault forced fire to erupt from a manhole cover.

It was captured on a mobile phone as firefighters were called to Priory Hill, in Dartford, when flames could be seen coming from the pavement.

EDF Energy has confirmed that a fault on a piece of underground equipment led to the blaze last Wednesday.

The fire also led to almost 40 homes in the area losing power while engineers isolated the problem to repair the fault.

• Watch the dramatic video of the fire at dartfordmessenger.co.uk >>>

Sonia Keane’s home runs alongside the affected street.

She said: "We could smell what we thought was burning hair, and then we heard this noise and there was black smoke billowing from the manhole."

A spokesman for EDF Energy Networks said: "EDF Energy Networks received a call from the fire service at 7.08pm after a fault on a piece of equipment on our underground electricity network in the Priory Hill area of Dartford.

"Staff attended and isolated supplies to 39 customers between 8.43pm and 10pm in order to safely carry out repairs."

Work to underground cables continued through the night and supplies were restored to homes in King Edward Avenue between 3.30am and 4.45am.

The spokesman said: "We apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused."